Here at the Send Me Your Ears studio today, we’ve been listening to the debut single from Bad Ass Beaty. ‘Me’ is released today, 24 February 2023 and for fans of confident female rock/r&b vocals, do not miss this track!
‘Me’ is a confident and all-consuming homage to self-love and the power that self-belief can give a person. In the same way that Queen’s ‘We Are The Champions’ could be described (even by Freddie!) as an egotistical and arrogant song, ‘Me’ is deliberately self-assured and in your face. There is no messing with this driven and strong-minded performer.
LaQuinta Prince aka Bad Ass Beauty is a graduate of Berklee College of Music who has been performing for all of her life. She began writing her own material in response to numerous hardships and disappointments endured from being a strong-minded female in a male-dominated industry.
As you would expect from a Berklee graduate, this is a high-quality debut single and a tantalising taster of what’s to come on her forthcoming debut album.
‘Me’ starts with a catchy heavy guitar riff, reminiscent of Korn’s, Blind. LaQuinta’s voice comes in over the top. It is spoken, not sung, at this point and is absolutely laden with attitude and self-confidence. This section and the lead vocal as the song comes in fully, reminded us of Dana Fuchs song, Cool Enough, which was inspired by constant media attention complaining that, as a strong woman, she still wasn’t meeting expectations.
Vocally, there are no two ways about it. Bad Ass Beauty is a powerhouse. Several huge names spring to mind as a comparison point; Dana Fuchs, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Joss Stone and Christina Aguilera. There’s a wonderful tipping point between powerhouse rock and the strut of an R&B singer and it works perfectly.
There are layered vocals in places that serve to bolster the lead voice and give even more depth. The drum fills are spectacular and the musicianship on the track is superb. The guitar solo has a perfect tone and a great choice of notes that build an exhilarating crescendo into a chorus.
Ideas from our ears
A boost around 55-60Hz would enhance the ’thump’ of the kick drum and a careful surgical cut at 195Hz on the snare track would reduce the sound of the resonance coming from the top mic. There may be little ‘harshness’ in the rhythm guitar around 3.5-4kHz too. A boost in the top 2 octaves would increase the brightness and clarity in the track a little as well, although this could increase the sibilant tones in the spoken intro. As always, these are just some ideas from our ears.
Final thoughts
A stunning debut single from an artist we have no doubt you’ll be hearing a great deal more of. This is a heavy rock/r&b crossover to die for. We’re looking forward to hearing what comes next!